MPs to declare citizenship to Federal Parliament but Malcolm Turnbull says it’s not an audit

Malcom Turnbull has proposed a new citizenship plan in an attempt to overcome the saga that continues to plague parliament and has cost several MPs their jobs.

In a press conference today, the Prime Minister proposed that each MP in the Senate and House of Representatives would declare they are not a dual citizen by either birth or ancestry.

"What this is doing is using, essentially, the same process that we have for disclosure of member’s interest such as financial and pecuniary interests, for disclosure of this (citizenship) information," he said.

"This is a cabinet decision we have been discussing this morning.

"I want to say that this is not an audit."

"The obligation is on each member and each senator to make a full disclosure."

When asked if it was a statutory declaration, he said: "They are declaration in the same form as they are for member’s interest. I am using the standard procedure. If a member, for example, were to make a statement here that were incorrect or false than they would be

committing, a serious breach of privilege."

Mr Turnbull said he would discuss a plan with Opposition leader Bill Shorten later today.

Liberal senator Eric Abetz, who was one of the MPs calling for an audit, welcomed the citizenship declaration.

"The Prime Minister’s strong and decisive action to restore the integrity of Parliament is strongly welcomed," he said.

"I am appreciative the Prime Minister has taken on board the views of the backbench on this issue."

Earlier, Tony Abbott said he believed the ongoing dual-citizenship "circus" must end but stopped short of backing an audit of all members of federal parliament.

Other conservatives within the coalition government including Kevin Andrews and Andrew Broad are pushing for an audit, but Mr Abbott says it’s was up to Prime Minister Turnbull to decide on a resolution.

"Until this matter is resolved I think that it’s going to be an ongoing circus and governments and countries can’t afford to have an ongoing circus of this type," the former prime minister told Ray Hadley on 2GB radio on Monday.

"Every day it’s someone else - it was Josh (Frydenberg) last week, now it’s Alex Hawke, it’ll probably be someone else tomorrow - that’s why this matter does need to be resolved."

When asked how he would handle the issue if he was prime minister again, Mr Abbott said: "Well, I’m not".

"Until this matter is resolved I think it’s going to be an ongoing circus; that’s what it’s going to be and governments and countries can’t afford to have an ongoing circus of this type," he told Hadley.

"Exactly how it’s resolved is up to the PM. That’s what PMs have to do, they have to make the hard calls, but there is no doubt that we should not and I think cannot go on with the sorts of things that are happening at the moment."

Mr Abbott said every member of parliament has a duty to comply with the Constitution and "ensure that we are not falling foul of Section 44".

He also called for democratic reform of the Liberal Party, saying it was "embarrassing" that former Major General Jim Molan was not given a winnable position on the Senate ticket.

"My overall point is our party in NSW needs a renaissance, it needs to be revitalised and the best way to do that is to say one member one vote -- join the Liberal Party and have your say".

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young also joined calls for a full citizenship audit, saying it was "absolutely warranted" as more MPs come under the spotlight.

Liberal MP Alex Hawke is the latest person forced to prove he’s not a dual citizen after it was revealed his mother was born in Greece.

Speaking on Sunrise this morning, Senator Hanson-Young said the public are "sick and tired" of the citizenship saga.

"What we have seen, over an over again, throughout this the debacle is spin, deflection and cover-up," she told Seven’s Sunrise.

"What we saw with Senator Parry -- that he knew for weeks while the High Court was debating this, other ministers knew and nobody said anything. That is the height of hypocrisy and disrespect to the public."

When conservative senator Cory Bernardi asked if the Greens will be nominating a candidate for the position of Senate President -- previously held by citizenship casualty Stephen Parry -- she said: "We will, Corey".

"We’re not dying over a ditch or threatening to pull out of the government. If this is a war between the Coalition themselves, rather than scrapping over good policy they want to scrap over who gets the top job."